The Calgary Flames prospect pool said goodbye to one member and two upcoming draft picks as the Flames made a move for Tyler Toffoli this week. Emil Heineman has joined his third team since being drafted, and leaves the prospect pool as a developing player on a good trajectory. A sad moment for Heineman fans, but big news for the team in the Dome who managed to add a top talent while retaining their most valuable prospects. Those prospects, Rory Kerins, Dustin Wolf, and many more put up points this week, but we have a surprise feature in this week’s Standout Performer. Let’s dive into it!
Welcome to the TWC Calgary Flames prospect update. Each week, we’ll take a dive into how the Flames’ prospects have done in their respective leagues. We have defined a prospect as a skater who has played fewer than 65 NHL games, and is younger than 25 years of age. All data is from QuantHockey and EliteProspects. We also use an NHLe calculator built by Christian Roatis (@Croatis) which is used to estimate a player’s equivalent point total in the NHL based on how they are performing in their respective league. The calculator uses the difficulty of the given league combined with the ease at which a player puts up points to determine the NHLe.
Want to see where all the Flames’ prospects are playing this year? Check out our map visualization here:
Standout Performer
Cole Huckins – Acadie Bathurst Titan (QMJHL)
| GP | G | A | P | P/GP | NHLe | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| This week | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1.0 | N/A |
| Season total | 28 | 12 | 13 | 25 | 0.9 | 20.7 |
One prospect who has quietly been very good but has not earned nearly enough praise has been Cole Huckins for Acadie Bathurst. The 2021 third-round pick had a sweet goal this week and an assist for the Titan, and had a bucket of penalty minutes to go along with them. Check out the goal here:
Huckins is one of those prospects whose numbers have flown just slightly below the radar, as he has always been just below the point-per-game level that other prospects have been at. However, he plays a very physical style and has a wicked release that should serve him well at the next level. He has not been the most prolific scorer to this point, but he plays in the tough areas of the ice and just screams of a player that Coach Darryl Sutter and the Flames would love.
Huckins likely goes back to the QMJHL for one more season next year as he has not blown it out of the water this year nor are the Flames in a rush to grow him at the next level. He should be able to score basically at will next year in the Q, and from there the sky’s the limit for the former third rounder. There is a lot to like and keep an eye on for Huckins going forward.
This and that
QMJHL
- A surprisingly quiet week for the Sea Dogs. Ryan Francis appeared in one game this weekend and was sidelined with an injury in the other. He did not pick up any points.
- No points as well for Jeremie Poirier, who is still among the top point-producing defencemen in the Q this season.
- The one Sea Dog who did make the scoresheet was Yan Kuznetsov who potted a very nice goal this weekend from an impossible angle. Check it out here:
- The Sea Dogs also released a great Valentines Day post about their three Flames prospects:
- Cam Whynot was in and out of the lineup this weekend with what looks like a minor knock. He skated as the seventh defenceman in one game for Halifax but was out the others. He did not record a point.
AHL
- The Heat played back-to-back games against the Ontario Reign this weekend. While they dropped the first in a 5–2 loss, they came back on Star Wars night to beat the LA Kings’ affiliate in a shootout 6–5.
- Dustin Wolf was pulled for the first time this season in the first game but responded in the second. With the win, he set a Heat record for most goalie wins in a single season. Wolf was probably due for a rough game after his impressive run of form. The netminder dip below the 0.930 mark, but that is not the least bit worrisome. He is still otherworldly.
- The Heat got production from their depth this weekend. Justin Kirkland tallied a goal and two assists while Mathias Emilio Pettersen had two goals. Check out one of each of their goals here:
- A number of other Heat also managed to get on the board this weekend including Connor Zary, Johannes Kinnvall, and Walker Duehr who each had an assist. Duehr also got an adorable new puppy this weekend.
- A very quiet week for the Heat’s top line. Glenn Gawdin was out of the lineup for one game in concussion protocol while Matthew Phillips did not his the scoresheet. Only Jakob Pelletier managed a single assist this week.
- The Heat’s significant others (and puppies) sent a really lovely Valentine’s Day video this week. Check it out:
OHL
- Jack Beck remains sidelined, but word is he should be back soon. He still sits among the top players in points-per-game this season, and most of those points were either goals or primary assists. A huge feat for the sixth-round selection.
- A quieter week (by his standards) for Rory Kerins who only had two assists this week for Soo. He drops to third in OHL scoring this week, but still sits over the 1.70 ppg threshold, which is incredible for the Flames given where they drafted him.
USHL
- Arsenii Sergeev started two games but only finished one of them, a 3–2 come-from-behind win over the Fargo Force. In the second game, he took a game misconduct penalty on the fifth goal against and was forced to leave the match. His numbers took a bit of a dip this week, but is still the top netminder in the league.
- Ilya Nikolayev had a far less eventful week that Sergeev, starting and ending both games this weekend. He scored the first goal of the second game and picked up an assist as well.
KHL
- Dmitri Zavgorodniy played in the Sochi Cup this week, but his team did not win. The cup was won by SKA St. Petersburg instead. With the season basically over for Sochi, expect him back in the US with Stockton soon.
NCAA
- Matthew Coronato and the Harvard Crimson did something that has not been done in the 69-year history of The Beanpot: pull of a tie in the consolation game. They drew 3–3 with Boston College after overtime, and Coronato had an incredible assist, nutmegging the defender, in the game. Check it out here:
- Demetrios Koumontzis of ASU remains sidelined with an injury which means no fit check this week.
- Interesting fact, ASU is an independent program in the NCAA, not affiliated with any of the conferences like most college programs. It is a young program that is playing in a non-traditional market, but sharing an arena with the Arizona Coyotes can only bolster the school’s recruitment efforts for top talent. It’s probably not great for escrow and hockey-related revenue in the NHL though.
- No points for either Josh Nodler or Mitchell Mattson at Michigan State. Mattson played both games while Nodler has not put up points in a number of weeks. Not good news.
- Jake Boltmann picked up an assist this week for Notre Dame. He had a great shot from the point that was redirected in front. Check it out here:
- Notre Dame also captured this great shot of the Flames’ prospect this week here:
Swedish hockey
- Emil Heineman’s tenure with the Flames came to an end this week after nearly one year with the club. After being inside the top five in SHL scoring for his age group, the forward for Leksands found his way to the Habs’ organization as part of the Toffoli deal.
- While his numbers did not jump off the chart, he is a very good prospect and projects well to being an NHLer one day. That said, he is no Leon Draisaitl despite what Montreal media may have you think. He spent most of his season on the bottom line in Leksands.
- Lucas Feuk has not seen any of the SHL this season but did have a goal in the HockeyEttan this week. Good for Lucas!
- No points no games for William Stromgren this week.
ECHL
- A weird week for Daniil Chechelev. He picked up a win, an overtime loss, and was pulled in his third start. His numbers went up then went back down this week. He probably needs to be a bit better and more consistent if he wants a look at the AHL level this season.
- His numbers may not have been stellar this week but you can’t deny this look:
WHL
- Lucas Ciona scored a goal this week to put him up to 14 on the season. He has really been on a heater of late, and now is just over 0.7 points-per-game. He was not expected to be much to write home about when the Flames first drafted him last season, but he has quickly turned that round.
- After a few more games off the ice, Cole Jordan was back in the Moose Jaw lineup last night. He played on the third pairing and did not record any points.
NHLe Leaderboard
NHLe is a metric used to estimate a player’s offensive output at the NHL level from their point totals in their respective league. Here are the Flames’ current top 5 (bracketed numbers denote movement from the previous week)
- Adam Ruzicka (AHL) 49.0 (Same)
- Rory Kerins (OHL): 45.0(Same)
- Matthew Phillips(AHL): 41.0 (Same)
- Glenn Gawdin (AHL) 39.9 (+1)
- Jakob Pelletier (AHL): 38.6 (-1)
Ahead of tonight’s Flames contest, the bookies have predicted the Flames as the favourite, with Betway Sports pricing the Flames at -135 and the Ducks at +240 to win the game in regulation, with an overtime decision being priced at +340.
Overall regular season totals for all Flames prospects
Forwards
| Player | Position | GP | G | A | P | P/GP | PIM | NHLe | Team | League |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jack Beck | LW/RW | 12 | 11 | 6 | 17 | 1.4 | 6 | 37.6 | Ottawa 67’s | OHL |
| Lucas Ciona | LW | 38 | 14 | 11 | 25 | 0.7 | 69 | 16.3 | Seattle Thunderbirds | WHL |
| Matthew Coronato | RW | 23 | 10 | 10 | 20 | 0.9 | 10 | 20.0 | Harvard Crimsons | NCAA |
| Walker Duehr | RW | 31 | 5 | 10 | 15 | 0.5 | 16 | 19.1 | Stockton Heat | AHL |
| Mathias Emilio Pettersen | C/LW | 32 | 3 | 8 | 11 | 0.3 | 8 | 13.5 | Stockton Heat | AHL |
| Lucas Feuk | C/W | 10 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0.2 | 0 | N/A | Vasterviks IK | HockeyAllsvenskan |
| C/W | 17 | 7 | 6 | 13 | 0.8 | 10 | N/A | Vasby IK | HockeyEttan | |
| C/W | 5 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0.4 | N/A | Nybro IF | HockeyEttan | ||
| Ryan Francis | RW/C | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Stockton Heat | AHL |
| RW/C | 22 | 6 | 20 | 26 | 1.2 | 12 | 30.3 | St John Sea Dogs | QMJHL | |
| Glenn Gawdin | C/RW | 36 | 12 | 23 | 35 | 1.0 | 41 | 39.9 | Stockton Heat | AHL |
| Cole Huckins | C | 28 | 12 | 13 | 25 | 0.9 | 51 | 20.7 | Acadie Bathurst Titans | QMJHL |
| Rory Kerins | C/LW | 44 | 26 | 49 | 75 | 1.7 | 20 | 45.0 | Soo Greyhounds | OHL |
| Justin Kirkland | C/W | 37 | 11 | 9 | 20 | 0.5 | 45 | 21.5 | Stockton Heat | AHL |
| Demetrios Koumontzis | LW | 23 | 4 | 7 | 11 | 0.5 | 18 | N/A | Arizona State Sun Devils | NCAA |
| Mitchell Mattson | C | 19 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 0.2 | 4 | 4.4 | Michigan State Spartans | NCAA |
| Ilya Nikolayev | C | 35 | 13 | 28 | 41 | 1.2 | 39 | 25.9 | Tri-City Storm | USHL |
| Josh Nodler | C/RW | 30 | 5 | 7 | 12 | 0.4 | 4 | 10.9 | Michigan State Spartans | NCAA |
| Jakob Pelletier | C/LW | 38 | 14 | 23 | 37 | 1.0 | 14 | 38.6 | Stockton Heat | AHL |
| Matthew Phillips | C/RW | 36 | 18 | 19 | 37 | 1.0 | 10 | 41.0 | Stockton Heat | AHL |
| Luke Philp | C/RW | 37 | 12 | 12 | 24 | 0.7 | 10 | 25.9 | Stockton Heat | AHL |
| Martin Pospisil | C/W | 29 | 6 | 9 | 15 | 0.5 | 53 | 20.7 | Stockton Heat | AHL |
| Adam Ruzicka | C | 13 | 10 | 6 | 16 | 1.2 | 2 | 49.0 | Stockton Heat | AHL |
| William Stromgren | LW | 37 | 11 | 19 | 30 | 0.8 | 16 | N/A | Rogle BK J20 | J20 Nationell |
| LW | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 3.0 | 0 | N/A | Rogle BK | Champions HL | |
| LW | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Rogle BK | SHL | |
| Eetu Tuulola | RW | 34 | 8 | 5 | 13 | 0.4 | 34 | 15.1 | Stockton Heat | AHL |
| Connor Zary | C | 27 | 4 | 6 | 10 | 0.4 | 20 | 14.7 | Stockton Heat | AHL |
| Dmitri Zavgorodny | W/C | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | Stockton Heat | AHL |
| W/C | 10 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 19.8 | HC Sochi | KHL |
Defencemen
| Player | Position | GP | G | A | P | P/GP | PIM | NHLe | Team | League |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jake Boltmann | RHD | 30 | 1 | 12 | 13 | 0.4 | 26 | 11.7 | Notre Dame | NCAA |
| Cole Jordan | LHD | 17 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 0.3 | 28 | 7.2 | Moose Jaw Warriors | WHL |
| Johannes Kinnvall | RHD | 7 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 0.7 | 0 | 28.3 | Stockton Heat | AHL |
| Yan Kuznetsov | LHD | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Stockton Heat | AHL |
| LHD | 9 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 0.7 | 0 | 15.6 | St John Sea Dogs | QMJHL | |
| Connor Mackey | LHD | 38 | 5 | 17 | 22 | 0.6 | 62 | 23.1 | Stockton Heat | AHL |
| Jeremie Poirier | LHD | 35 | 10 | 26 | 36 | 1.0 | 24 | 23.9 | St. John Sea Dogs | QMJHL |
| Colton Poolman | LHD | 33 | 0 | 6 | 6 | 0.2 | 12 | 7.2 | Stockton Heat | AHL |
| Ilya Solovyov | LHD | 31 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 0.2 | 14 | 7.6 | Stockton Heat | AHL |
| Cameron Whynot | LHD | 29 | 3 | 12 | 15 | 0.5 | 34 | 12.1 | Halifax Mooseheads | QMJHL |
Goalies
| Player | Position | GP | GAA | SV% | Record | Shutouts | Team | League |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daniil Chechelev | G | 21 | 3.31 | 0.902 | 10-8-2 | 1 | Kansas City Mavericks | ECHL |
| Tyler Parsons | G | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0-0-0 | 0 | Stockton Heat | AHL |
| Arseni Sergeev | G | 29 | 1.72 | 0.929 | 23-4-1 | 6 | Tri-City Storm | USHL |
| Dustin Wolf | G | 26 | 2.22 | 0.928 | 20-3-3 | 0 | Stockton Heat | AHL |
Want to know more?
Still want to know more about the Flames prospects? Check out our interviews with a number of prospects down below:
Which prospects are you most excited about? Let us know below in the comments or on social media.
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